Lounger chairs or console units are conventionally present within modern living rooms, family rooms, dens, libraries, offices or the like, of residential homes, condominiums, apartments, business offices, and the like. Lounger chairs are chairs wherein, for example, the back portion, the headrest, the seat portion, and a footrest of the chair are operatively connected together by means of a multitude of linkage members comprising an overall linkage system, and at least one motorized actuator is operatively connected to various linkage members comprising the linkage system so that predetermined movements of the back portion, the headrest, the seat portion, and the footrest of the chair are able to be achieved as desired. It is also often the case that a console unit is disposed adjacent to the lounger chair as part of a single furniture setting or arrangement, wherein the console unit is provided with a storage receptacle or a beverage holder within the upper surface portion of the console unit so as to be utilized for the storage of various different objects that may be desired to be used by means of a person sitting in the lounger chair. Such objects may comprise, for example, a book, a magazine, remote control devices, a wireless charging pad, a dock, or a cup holder for holding a beverage. Still further, a console unit may likewise be interposed between a pair of lounger chairs disposed adjacent to each other. Still yet further, a console unit may likewise be structurally incorporated within one or both side portions of the lounger chair.
As noted, the storage receptacle or cup holder is usually provided within an upper forward portion of the console unit and is conventionally or normally open or exposed to the room environment, however, such an open disposition of the storage tray or cup holder presents several problems which some people may not like in connection with the overall décor of the aforenoted living rooms, family rooms, dens, offices, or libraries. For example, since the storage receptacle or cup holder is always open and exposed to the environment within the living rooms, family rooms, dens, or libraries, such storage receptacles or cup holders have a tendency to collect dust and become dirty. Still further, some people may consider such storage receptacles or cup holders aesthetically unpleasing in connection with the overall décor of the particular room, and may desire to have such storage receptacles or cup holders normally hidden and then rendered available for use when desired. Therefore, the storage receptacles or cup holders may be manually manipulable so as to be capable of being manually opened or closed as desired. However, this is not really desirable in view of the fact that the console units are being utilized in conjunction with motorized lounger chairs whereby the person sitting in the chair can readily adjust the back portion, the headrest, the seat portion, and the footrest components of the chair by means of a power unit having a multitude of control buttons which will actuate the at least one motorized actuator in order to achieve various positional adjustments of the back portion, the headrest, the seat portion, and the footrest components of the chair. Accordingly it is desirable for the console compartment or door to likewise be capable of being opened and closed by means of at least one motorized actuator. However, care must be taken when utilizing such a motorized actuator in that the closure of the console compartment or door cannot be too forceful or aggressive or else damage to the actuator motor, or a person's hand, if, for example, a foreign object or a person's hand should be interposed between the movable compartment or door and the chassis of the lounger chair, may occur. For example, if some foreign object becomes jammed in the system while the compartment or door is disposed at its OPEN position, then safety measures must be incorporated within the system for effectively shutting down or preventing further closure of the compartment or door until the foreign object, blocking the closure of the compartment or door, is firstly removed.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved furniture piece. Another need exists in the art for a new and improved furniture piece wherein the furniture piece comprises a console unit. Still another need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the console furniture piece comprises a stand-alone console furniture piece. Yet another need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the console furniture piece is effectively incorporated within at least one side end portion of a lounger chair. Yet still another need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the console furniture piece can be interposed between a pair of lounger chairs. Still yet another need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the console furniture piece comprises a storage receptacle or at least one cup holder mounted within an upper forward portion of the console furniture piece and is adapted for holding various different objects such as, for example, a book, a magazine, remote control devices, a wireless charging pad, a dock, or a beverage. An additional need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the storage receptacle or the at least one cup holder is mounted upon a compartment or door which can be moved between a first CLOSED position and a second OPEN position with respect to the console furniture piece such that the storage receptacle or the at least one cup holder can be normally hidden as a result of the compartment or door being disposed at, its CLOSED position and yet exposed when the compartment or door is moved to its OPEN position when access to the storage receptacle is desired so as to gain access to the storage receptacle and its contents, or to the at least one cup holder. Still an additional need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the compartment or door is moved between the aforenoted CLOSED and OPEN positions by means of at least one motorized actuator mechanism. A further need exists in the art for a new and improved console furniture piece wherein the closure of the compartment or door is regulated so that when the compartment or door is moved from its OPEN position toward its CLOSED position, and is jammed due to some foreign object blocking the closure of the compartment or door from its OPEN position toward its CLOSED position, the movement of the compartment or door from its OPEN position toward its CLOSED position will be terminated for safety reasons until the foreign object is removed.